Demons
who enter your circle,
Must be pushed out.
No
matter what world you walk in—office, school, temple, prison, or the
streets—there is an underworld populated with demons. These are people
who are avaricious, aggressive, sadistic, and cynical. They not only
take advantage of others without compunction, they delight in it. They
find pleasure in seeing others suffer.
The why of it cannot be answered.
There is only the fact, with no metaphysical meaning or other
ramifications. It is not karma, it is not fate. If these people decide
to attack you, it is circumstance. You must fight or be mowed down.
Compassion and humility may be
among the most treasured of human virtues, but they are not useful in
conflict. A beautiful gold statue of your most adored god is a
treasure, but you would not use it as a weapon. Virtue is to be valued
in the proper context; only a sword will do in battle.
Whether an attack is
physical—assault, rape, murder—or whether it is mental—business
intrigues, emotional abuse—you must be prepared. It is best to prepare
for conflict by learning as much self-defense as possible.* You will
not become a bully or a monster, but instead, you will learn that you
can respond to any situation. If you are never attacked, that will be
wonderful. Training will still help you work out your fears,
inhibitions, and anxieties. In the case of conflict, no one, not even a
veteran, is ever sure that they will come out alive from a
confrontation. But they resolve to go in there and give themselves a
fighting chance. This in itself is a triumph over evil.
defense
365
Tao
daily
meditations
Deng
Ming-Dao (author)
ISBN
0-06-250223-9
